What's a slate for?

GuyClapperton 0 260 Views

I suppose it had to happen. Apple was rumoured to be launching a 'slate' computer so others including HP have done so too.

All of which leaves me a bit bemused. You see, I don't really know what these slate computers are for.

Let's be straightforward. The first touch-sensitive laptops came out while I was on the staff of a computer magazine, and I've been freelance since 1993 so I can date it pretty precisely. It's a long time ago. They were some use in data capture but never really set the world alight.

This was mostly because nobody ever developed a killer application for them. Microsoft OneNote was as close as it got.

Then HP developed a desktop touch-sensitive PC which it touted as the kitchen computer a couple of years ago. Again, it didn't deliver the sales because nobody really, if they were honest, knew what it was for.

Now we have Apple and others lining up to launch these things. Yes, there are games, yes, there are eBooks which are better designed for this sort of device than they were before. But seriously, before anyone launches another of these things, can someone show me a killer app that tells me why anyone might want one?

Dani AI

Generated

's scepticism is reasonable: early touch systems often promised more than the software and ergonomics could deliver. A "slate" is simply a thin, touch-first tablet whose strengths are immediacy, portability and long battery life rather than sustained, keyboard-heavy work. It succeeds when the hardware, input method and software form a single, fast workflow.

Where slates actually add value: quick consumption (books, magazines, video, web), lightweight communication (email, messaging), fast document review and annotation, stylus-driven note-taking and sketching, and specialised vertical roles (retail point-of-sale, kiosks, field data capture, classroom use). Those are concrete, repeatable tasks that benefit from instant-on touch, a readable screen and simple, dedicated apps rather than porting full desktop software to touch.

The market lesson is that a single "killer app" rarely appears; instead the category matured because of better battery life, lighter screens, reliable multi-touch, pen support and cloud sync plus large app stores. In practice the winning scenarios are workflows — for example, quick handwritten capture that syncs to other devices, or a single vertical app that replaces paper and a separate device.

Practical, non-hype guidance: prioritise devices with real stylus support when handwriting or sketching matters; check native app availability for any required business or productivity tools; prefer models with keyboard options if long typing sessions are expected. Remember that slates are complementary to laptops for many people: they streamline certain everyday tasks rather than replace full desktop work.

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